Tag Archives: construction equipment safety

Safety: Working around heavy equipment

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Just like the owner of the construction company cares a lot about this heavy equipment, in the same way he also needs to care about the people who are working all day around the those machines. The operators are the ones who remain very close to the equipment. However, there are also other people like the construction laborers, engineers, site officers, and supervisors, who also remain in close contact with these machines. Though they not have any direct relationship with the machines but they all remain around the heavy equipment for most of the time during their working hours. Hence it is very crucial to ensure the safety of these men. Accidents of any sort should be avoided and there should not be any chance for anybody to not follow the safety parameters. The safety rules are meant for everybody who is inside the construction site and particularly close to heavy equipment and it also becomes the responsibility of the individuals who goes close to the machines to follow the safety rules religiously.

We will be discussing few very basic safety parameters one must be doing to keep himself safe while he is around heavy equipment.

Operators should always wear gloves and strong boots:-

Since operators are the one who always remain in close contact with heavy equipment, they must always ensure that they wear their safety gears at all times whenever they are in close distance with the machine. They must always wear gloves and strong boots that are not too heavy. Wearing gloves will protect them from any outer substance that has gone very hot and by coming in close contact with that substance they might injure their hands. Strong boots ensure that their feet are protected with any sharp element that may be present inside the cabin of the machine or anywhere on the site. They are the ones who are more prone to hazards and hence they should keep their safety gears on while working on the site.

Various safety sessions should be given:-

There are high chances that people especially laborers working on the construction site may not be aware of the importance of wearing safety gears when they are around heavy equipment. This is why they should be given different types safety lessons at regular intervals. The sole purpose of giving such trainings is to ensure that they do not injure themselves while at work causing problems to the project as a whole. Advanced safety training lessons should be given to the operators educating them to tackle situations. Also teaching them what to do in case there is a medical emergency on the site will help them to save a life of their colleagues. These types of sessions are very important as the availability of doctors can’t be always immediate. They would be the ones who will do the first aid and easing things for the doctor.

The construction company should make every attempt to ensure that the employees are following the safety parameters. This will all lead to a healthy working atmosphere in the construction site.

 

Equipment Safety Tips

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Heavy equipment being such an important part of the construction industry, it can be said with no doubt that one needs to take good care of the machines he possess. He can’t just play around with things because if machines fail to function when it is supposed to, he will be into some real serious trouble. Therefore it is important to say that before the start of any project, check the health of your heavy equipment and if you find something not so correct, you better get that fixed first and then put them to use. Concurrently, one also needs to follow quite religiously the safety procedures when it comes to their heavy equipment. When safety procedures are followed it only lengthens the life of the machines making things more comfortable for you.

There are innumerable incidents that get highlighted on a regular basis that happens due to not following all the safety tips leading to heavy losses to property and at times even to life.

We will be discussing few heavy equipment tips that we all can follow to keep our machines healthy and simultaneously incur less cost on the repairs and fixtures.

Get good trained men on your machine:-

You should realize that you are dealing with big heavy machines that can turn dangerous if not operated by trained men. Give it to a newbie and he will make a big mess out of it. Therefore, it is of immense importance that you let your construction equipment to be operated by trained men who have sizeable experience in dealing with such huge stuffs.

Communicate with people around you:-

When you are working on the machine, it is imperative that you keep on communicating with people who are around you. It would be foolish to assume that they will understand your next move and will move away from your path. They may be engrossed with their work and if you fail to talk to them and ask them to move away you might find them exactly on your way and that might lead to some serious eventualities. Get your walkie-talkie out or 2-way radio so that you can ask people to get out of the way. Do not make a situation where things will become difficult for you to take care of.

Check your machine at the end of the day:-

You might be working very hard all day along and do not get the time to check if everything is ok with the equipment even though you get a slightest of hint of some problem. In a situation like this, you should check the machine at the end of the day and see what could be the problem and if it is a serious one try to report it to the people in charge. The repair team will take it from there and will fix whatever issues it had.

Regular maintenance is the key:-

This is perhaps the most critical and also the most ignored thing. Due to enough load of work, regular maintenance of machines can be easily forgotten. However, that will make matter worse and therefore try to get some time out of your busy schedule and ensure that you service the machine on a regular basis.

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Heavy equipment safety topics

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Since we consider heavy equipment to be the most important tool in the construction business, we should also give some importance to the safety of this equipment. It is undoubtedly because of these equipment that the construction industry is able to make so much money. Hence, they must ensure that they keep the machines healthy, secure and safe from any sort of hazard. Big construction companies have adopted a number of measures for the safety of their heavy equipment. The mid-size and small companies are also doing their bit in make sure that their machines are always in order.

Few very basic yet important things that can be done to keep the machines safe are discussed herein.

Machines do fall sick if not checked in time:-

Heavy equipment like humans may fall sick if they are not checked at regular intervals. They do give signs of not feeling well. It is just that the one who is operating the machine should be able to catch those signs and treat it well. Signs like too much noise from the engine are clear indication that the health of the machine is deteriorating and it needs to be checked as soon as possible. Ideally once should make sure that he services the equipment at regular interval and while the machine is being given for servicing, the mechanic should inform the owner if he finds any part of the machine as faulty. Then it becomes the call of the owner to replace the faulty part at that point in time or during the next servicing.

The mechanic should reveal how urgent it is (if at all it is) to change the part. Just in case if it needs urgent attention of the owner, then that should be communicated and needs to be replaced immediately.

An expert mechanic should be the one working on your machine:-

Always try to ensure that you get your machine checked by an expert mechanic who has loads of experience in servicing as well as repairing machines like yours. A newbie will definitely take more time to repair the stuff and there are high chances of him doing a blunder which may not happen if it is worked by the expert guy. You can generate a good rapport with the mechanic so that every time you have him working on your equipment.

Take necessary steps to keep the equipment safe from extreme weather conditions:-

Extreme weather is another cause of worry that many heavy equipment owners have. They need to treat their machines differently at different weathers. Like during summer, they need to ensure that the engine of the machine remains cool and ensure that it does not get overheated. During monsoon, they need to check that the machine is cleaned regularly or else there are high chances of huge portion of dirt making its way to the interiors of the machine causing wreckage. Winters are again a headache. Due to huge blocks of snow all over the road, it becomes almost impossible to work at a site. There the heavy equipment owners should make it a regular business of checking if the machine is in order and if there are any issues that needs to be sorted with immediate effect.

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The Importance of Learning Safe Tractor Driving

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Dealing with heavy equipment not only requires you to have a lot of skill and expertise but it is also very important that you know the safety measures. Apparently, operating a tractor is one of the easiest aspects of handling heavy equipment. However, the reality is far from true. The equipment may seem pretty straight and simple but things may go miserably wrong if the right steps are not taken. The damages caused by the wrong handling of the tractor may not be redeemable. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that you know what precautions you should tackle in order to safely operate a tractor.

The following is a discussion of some of the most important tips that one must keep in mind for driving the tractor safely and effectively:

Wearing the right kind of clothes

When you have to drive a heavy vehicle such as a tractor it is important that you dress accordingly before you get to work. Wearing loosely fitted clothes is not advisable in this regard. Loose clothes can be very dangerous and it is a priority and a safety concern that you do not take this matter lightly. During the colder seasons, make sure you do not wear excessive clothing that is baggy. Wearing a scarf will of course keep you warm during the cold but it may kill you too. If you have to operate a tractor during the chilly days, wearing a good neck warmer can do the job. It is important that you wear clothes that do not have chance of getting caught with the tractor.

Keeping the speed in limit

As you know, when you are operating a tractor it is your work and it is definitely not some kind of a race. A tractor is a very heavy vehicle. Therefore, any sort of additional weight could make the vehicle very tough to stop. Most of the injuries pertaining to tractors are involved with rollovers. The risk of rollovers can be reduced to a great extent if the speed limit is checked and maintained according to the books.

Being cautious at the inclines

It is important that you try to avoid driving the tractor on the inclined plains as much as possible. It is very dangerous to drive it down or up steep slopes as the risk of a rollover increases manifold. Most of the tractors are not really suitable for such terrain. However, if you have to drive on such plains it is better to get your tractor designed specifically to drive through the sloping steeps.

Tractors are equipment that is very versatile and they are used extensively. However, it is important that you realize that like any other sort of equipment, tractors are not free from dangers. Therefore, if you have to learn how to drive a tractor in all sorts of conditions, it is important that you enroll yourself with a trainings school for professional handling of such equipment. One of the finest schools that you may consider in this regard is the Heavy Construction Academy.

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Heavy Equipment safety topics

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Heavy equipment is considered as one of the most important component in the construction industry. It not only termed to be important because of its utility in the construction arena but also it is far safer than the traditional ways of working in a construction site. When we talk about safety, there are 2 types of safety that comes in our mind. Firstly, the safety to the equipment and the second is safety to the people around. A construction company does not want to take any sort of risk on the site pertaining to the safety of the people and also wants the machines to work without any glitches.

We would be talking about what are the general steps that a company or an individual can take to ensure that the machine is in order.

Maintenance is the key:-

You just can’t expect the equipment to work all day for you without you bothering to service them once in a month. There are lot of things that needs to be checked in a machine every day before you start your work. There are some very basic things that you need to pay attention. Things like if the brakes are functioning properly, check the levers are in order, check if the engine is making noise before it starts and things thereon. Apart from that, you also need to keep a note on when was the last time you gave the machine for maintenance. Check if the engine oil was changed then and if all the parts were well lubricated. These are again few basic things that you need to keep in record while dealing with the safety of the machine.

Hire experienced operators:-

If you are a novice and are required to operate a machine which you do not understand a thing, please do not lay your hands on it. It is recommended that you hire an experienced operator who understands the equipment and can get the work done for you. If at all you feel that you know how the machine works but need little guidance, then you can always refer to the training guide that will direct you to use the machine properly. Don’t hire operators who are not confident with the equipment or have never operated on the machine before.

Wear safety accessories before you start your work:-

Many people simply skip wearing their safety accessories. They find it to be unnecessary and endanger their lives. Fatality does not knock the door before arriving and you can’t be so sure that you won’t commit any mistake that will lead to an accident. The safety accessories are a must to the operators. They should wear things like work gloves, sturdy shirt trousers and footwear that is primarily meant for doing such work, reflective vests etc.

Hand signals are a must:-

This is applicable when there are ground workers on the site. Extreme care needs to be taken to ensure that you do not bump off with any worker on site. Therefore, the operator as well as the worker should know the hand signals.

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Simple steps to boost Construction Equipment Safety

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In industrial automation maintaining the safety of the construction equipment is one of the most crucial factors. Safety is the integral part of machine functionality. Safety systems standards include stopping and stand still, speed of the machine and the direction in which the machine rotates.

Principles to be followed by machine manufacturers:-

  • Construction equipment should be constructed or designed in such a way so as to ensure minimum hazards.
  • Take necessary precautions against accidents that cannot be controlled.
  • Inform the users of the risk that can happen despite all possible precautions being taken.

Tips that are mentioned in the Machinery Directive for functional safety

  • Risk reduction through assessment:-It consists of two parts- Risk analysis and Risk reduction.
  • Determining functionality and safety performance steps to either wipe out the risk or to reduce it to a minimum level.
  • Implementing functional safety by designing the equipment safety system functions.
  • Verifying whether functional safety meet the demarcated requirements.
  • Validating functional safety to ensure the system function is successful in minimizing the risks.
  • Documenting functional safety through user documentation.

 

What are the simple steps to boost construction equipment safety?

  • Establishing systematic procedures for identification, assessment and cleaning the equipment after its use.
  • Clear the work area away of any debris, stone chips and trip hazards.
  • Before kick the equipment on, check for loose bolts, nuts and screws.
  • If the machine does not sound properly then switch off the machine and try to find out what is wrong with it.

 

  • Sometimes some dirt particles get inside the machine bearing of the equipment which is generally caused by use of compressed air to clean the machines.
  • Hiring and giving proper training to the technical team to control the storage of the hazardous substances.
  • Equipment idle reduction and control can minimize the amount of diesel used and thus can prolong the life of the equipment.

 

Some industrial companies make use of the custom software to ensure continuity in the implementation of the preventive maintenance procedures. The only administrative expense to detect the consistency in the maintenance program is the labor time to get a record of maintenance requirements.

An effective program to manage the safety of the construction equipment is very essential. To increase equipment efficiency and life of the engine, periodic replacement of fuel and water filter is necessary. One should replace the battery before it fails. Monitoring fuel consumption and oil consumption help to detect problems. Measuring the viscosity of the oil help to find out the chemical changes that the oil undergoes due to its thermal degradation. And finally the person should apply appropriate lubricant and regularly to boost the construction equipment safety.

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What are some heavy equipment safety warnings?

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When dealing with heavy equipment all construction project owners need follow certain health and safety guidelines to ensure safety to their workers as well as other people around the site. Faulty heavy equipment need to be repaired or replaced immediately as they can lead to fatal disasters and cause loss of monetary funds and lives of employees around the construction sites. A large number of accidents are reported every year that happen due to negligence of workers or awry equipments and lack of maintenance of proper safety warnings around the area.

The basic procedure that needs to be fulfilled with production of safety warnings in all construction sites and to be circulated through all employees, subcontractors and applicants, is mentioned here. The objective of these warning signs is to ensure that all workers follow these safety precautions when at work with heavy machinery so as to minimize the possibility of disasters taking place.

To ensure proper protection in the working area all employees must be handed with a copy of these health and safety rules at the time of their employment. And it is important that all the workers sign and submit the acknowledgement forms after reviewing the safety rules and clarifying all pertinent questions in these matters. The safety and health guidelines also need to be occasionally reviewed and updated to ensure they are current and applicable.

Enforcement measures are also necessary and employees should be subjected to disciplinary actions in case found to be violating these rules. Employees shall be afforded educational counseling and/or informative training to assure they have a clear understanding of the breach consequences and the importance of proper conduct under organizational rules. Nonetheless, nothing in the guidelines of this safety agenda will prohibit the management from terminating an employee for a safety violation. This is not progressive disciplinary system and any safety violation may lead to an employee’s termination without prior order or warning.  Management reserves all right to impose whatever disciplinary action it deems to be appropriate:

The measures can be anyone or more of the following mentioned points depending on the severity of the violation done.

  1. Verbal warning with recorded documentation in the personnel file of the employee in question.
  2. Written warning with mentioning of the details of the violation and also documentation of the offence in the personnel file of the worker.
  3. Termination if the severity of the violations seems to be too great.

The management personnel and supervisors will be deemed to appropriate disciplinary actions, if needed under certain circumstances as mentioned below:

  • Failure to provide adequate training to prospective employees before assigning them to the job.
  • Consistent safety guidelines violation incidents done by the employees under their supervision.
  • Not reporting accidents successfully or failing to provide proper medical assistance to any injured employee at work.
  • If precise cleanliness and housekeeping standards not being maintained as required which can prove to be a safety hazard.
  • Not being able to control or prevent unsafe working practices or conditions under their supervision.

 

Accidents associated with construction equipment

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Construction equipment are generally heavy and one has to be cautious at all time to minimize the risks that can happen from bad handling and lack of proper maintenance of this equipment. Heavy construction equipment used in big construction companies make the construction much faster and easier. There are always some risks associated with the heavy construction equipment which can have disastrous consequences. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), 75% of workers at construction equipment factory became victims of accidents. Some of the risks of using construction equipment are listed below.

  • Site fall: It includes roof related falls, scaffolding falls, elevator shaft falls, crane falls and falling objects. Over three hundred deaths arise from construction site fall every year. Though some companies pay compensation for the injury caused to the victim, but do you think it’s enough? Safety precautions should be taken by the construction equipment to ensure well being of the worker.
  • Roof related Falls:– Roof fall is one of the most common form of accidents. This includes skylight falls, communication tower falls and fall through existing opening. Many of the deaths and injuries can be controlled by proper protection equipment.
  • Crane Falls on Construction Site:– Cranes are designed to control enormous pieces of powerful machinery. The operators can also fall from crane due to loss of its balance.

 

  • Other common form of accidents using construction equipment are:
  • Forklifts
  • Backhoes
  • Bulldozers
  • Front-end loaders and
  • Skid Steers.
  • Steps to avoid such construction site accidents
  • Allow only trained and expert professionals for operating heavy equipment.
  • Equipment has been designed properly and safely manufactured.
  • A display of warnings on the machinery should be there.
  • Equipment is needed to maintain regularly with periodic checkups.
  • Find out whether the machine is properly carried out or not with tightened bolts, nuts and screws.
  • Check the trailer deck, stability and clearances.
  • Be careful of overhead hurdles and underground utilities like water, sewer, electrical lines, gas and telecom.
  • Find out whether any unconventional sound is coming or not from the construction equipment.

Accidents related with construction equipment is mostly categorized into two categories. Firstly, it’s improper maintenance management system and the way of its handling. And secondly, defect in the design or manufacture of the equipment including absence of proper warnings.

Sometimes there are also electrical accidents due to the construction equipment. OSHA has issued some guidelines for the safety of the workers with construction equipment and some precautionary steps that should be taken to face such hazardous accidents. Electric shock is another such common accident. It can cause many complications like muscular spasm, internal injury, cardiac arrest and respiratory arrest. A fire plan should also be there to evacuate the workers safely when an explosion occurs.

We all know the fact that accidents are not natural but they are manmade mainly because of their ignorance. So, to minimize such accidents the construction equipment companies should take proper steps and guarantee a safe life to its workers.